Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Actors join telethon for Ukraine
An all-star roster of film, TV and theater performers — including Steve Martin, Annette Bening, Billy Porter, Audra McDonald, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Chenoweth, David Hyde Pierce and Rosie Perez — have signed up for a 10-hour telethon to raise money for the victims of the war in Ukraine.
The “Stars in the House” special will air Saturday on the series’ site (www.starsinthehouse.com), the “Stars in the House” YouTube channel, as well as SiriusXM Stars109.
Some of the other performers include “SCTV” veterans Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin, as well as Tituss Burgess, Kelli O’Hara, Jessie Mueller, Josh Groban, Judith Light, John Stamos, Norman Lear, Mandy Patinkin, Rachel Bloom and Norbert Leo Butz. The event also hopes to feature Ukrainians, including Oleg Karpenko, a Ukrainian actor who co-starred with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in “Servant of the People.”
Donations made during the event will benefit the International Rescue Committee and its humanitarian efforts for those affected by the war in Ukraine.
“Stars in the House” is a livestreamed concert series created by SiriusXM Broadway host Seth Rudetsky and producer James Wesley that has raised over $1 million for the Actors Fund’s COVID19 relief program and other nonprofits.
Williams determined to return:
Wendy Williams has vowed to return to her canceled daytime talk show despite a slew of health issues that have sidelined the host over the past year.
“This is what I would love to say to my ‘Wendy’ watchers: Keep watching because I’m going to be back on the ‘Wendy’ show. Bigger and brighter than ever,” the host, 57, said Thursday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Lionsgate producer and distributor DebmarMercury said in February that it will end “The Wendy Williams Show” to make room this fall for “Sherri,” a new program lead by Williams’ fill-in host, Sherri Shepherd.
In New York but declining to appear on camera for the virtual appearance, Williams, who suffers from the autoimmune condition Graves’ disease, said on “GMA” that she is “absolutely” of sound mind and conducted her interview with the same no-nonsense humor for which she is known.
Sheila E., Barker, Glasper, Blackstone to perform at Oscars:
The Oscars will feature a unique all-star music collaboration: Sheila E., Adam Blackstone, Travis Barker and Robert Glasper.
Show producers Will Packer and Shayla Cowan announced Friday that the four musical performers will join under the name the All-Star Band at the show. The ceremony will air live Sunday on ABC.
The band will feature Blackstone as the show’s music director; singer and percussionist Sheila
E., Blink-182 drummer Barker; and Glasper as the pianist.
DJ D-Nice will perform during the awards show and at the Governors Ball — an event many Academy Awards attendees go to after the Oscars ceremony.
March 21 birthdays:
Actor Marie-Christine Barrault is 78. Musician Rose
Stone is 77. Actor Timothy Dalton is 76. Singer Russell Thompkins Jr. is 71. Actor Gary Oldman is 64. Actor Matthew Broderick is 60. Comedian Rosie O’Donnell is 60. Actor Cynthia Geary is 57. Actor Jasmin Savoy Brown is 28. Actor Forrest Wheeler is 18.